Thursday, October 22
Abilene, Texas
6 p.m.
Abilene Christian
vs
North Alabama
Photo by: Luke White
10/22/2026 9:44:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
ABILENE — Abilene Christian volleyball reaches the halfway mark of United Athletic Conference play with a pair of matches at Moody Coliseum this week. The Wildcats host North Alabama at 6 p.m. Thursday ahead of a rematch with West Georgia at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Admission is free to all ACU volleyball matches at Moody Coliseum. Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+, with Roman Raffaeli (play-by-play), Londyn Gray (analysis) and Allison McCall (sidelines) on the call for Thursday's matchup with the Lions.
At 13-7, the Wildcats are aiming for their historic 14th win of the season, marking their most in the Division I era and since 2011. ACU has been a force to be reckoned with at home this season, winning its last six matches at Moody Coliseum for a 7-2 record. A seventh home win in a row would mark the program's longest streak since 2018.
ACU looks to avenge a five-set loss to North Alabama in Florence, Ala. on Sept. 24 in the teams' conference opener. Alyssa Todd powered the Wildcats with a Division I freshman record-21 kills, the most since 2008. Two days later, ACU cruised to a sweep of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga.Â
The Wildcats spent last week on the road, picking up a sweep of Austin Peay before falling to conference frontrunner Eastern Kentucky in three sets. Rachel Koss was recognized as the UAC Setter of the Week, while Todd took home UAC Freshman of the Week honors for the second time this season.
Koss surpassed 2,000 career assists against the Governors and averaged 11.67 per set last week. She leads the conference and is 13th nationally with 768 assists this season. Todd led UAC freshmen with 3.33 kills per set last week. She ranks sixth in the UAC with 3.03 kills per set this season, the most by a freshman. Brennan Ramirez remains the conference leader and ranks seventh in the country with 5.09 digs per set.
HISTORICALLY HOT START – ACU has opened the 2026 campaign roaring out of the gates with its best start in nearly two decades. The Wildcats are 13-7, their hottest start since 2010 (17-3) and throughout the Division I era (since 2013). The Wildcats have tied for their most wins in a season in the DI era and could set a new record with a win versus UNA. ACU's 5-3 mark in conference play is its best opening since 2020-21. ACU went 8-3 in September and has won 12 of its last 16 matches.
MOODY MAGIC – The Wildcats have played some of their best volleyball at Moody Coliseum this season with a 7-2 record at home. They've already surpassed their total in home wins from last season. ACU has won its last six matches in Abilene, and a seventh straight victory would mark its most since 2018.
WELCOME TO ABILENE – The Wildcats have received early contributions from freshman Alyssa Todd. Todd has emerged as arguably the top freshman in the conference with 191 kills and a team-best 3.03 kills per set. She set ACU's DI single-match freshman kills record with 21 at North Alabama on Sept. 24. Todd became the fastest freshman in ACU's DI era to reach 100 career kills, doing so in just 10 matches. She was named the UAC Freshman of the Week on Sept. 8 on Oct. 19.
ACING IT – Senior libero Abby Christian has established herself as a force at the service over four seasons in Abilene. She is the Wildcats' DI leader in career aces with 112 across 105 matches. Christian surpassed ACU's DI record of 103 aces, established by Madeline Guffy from 2022-24. Guffy and Christian are the only DI Wildcats to surpass 100 aces. Christian is third in the DI record book with 0.28 aces per set.
WEEKLY HONORS – The Wildcats have been the recipients of seven UAC weekly accolades this season between four student-athletes. Hannah Gonzalez was named the Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 21, and Brennan Ramirez was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 28. Alyssa Todd has twice received Freshman of the Week distinction on Sept. 8 and Oct. 19. Rachel Koss was named the Setter of the Week on Oct. 19. Ramirez and Koss were three-time WAC honorees last season.
STAYING THE COURSE – A rarity in today's world of college athletics, ACU's roster touts seven seniors, including five that have spent their entire four-year careers in Abilene. Gonzalez, Koss, Abby Christian, Izabelle Larson and Alexis Strong each arrived at ACU in 2023 alongside head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup. The group of five has combined to play in 386 matches and 1,246 sets entering the 2026 campaign. Also beginning her fourth season as head coach of the Wildcats, Moronu Alstrup described this year as a "senior season" of her own.  Additionally, Avery Thaler, Annaleise Sevier and Courtney Church are each in their third seasons at ACU.
FAMILY AFFAIR – Head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup and assistant coach Chris Alstrup are one of six known Division I coaching duos that are married. The two met while Moronu Alstrup was playing professional volleyball in Alstrup's home country of Denmark. They have a daughter, Charlie, and a son, Jude. Other married coaching duos include Little Rock, Eastern Michigan, Montana State, Southern Utah and West Virginia. Other family ties on the Wildcats' roster include freshman OH/RS Garrah Prox and her sister, student manager Zoey Prox.
WILDCATS AROUND THE GLOBE – Much of ACU's team chemistry and camaraderie was built this summer on the program's international tour to Europe. From June 4-14, the Wildcats globetrotted across Sweden, Denmark and Germany, immersing themselves in local cultures while competing against overseas programs and taking part in volunteer work. ACU competed against Holte, one of the top programs in Denmark, the Danish National Team and the U17 German Regional National Team.Â
NATIONWIDE WILDCATS – Eight states are represented on ACU's 18-person roster (Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Missouri, Louisiana, Washington and Kentucky). Ten Wildcats hail from the Lone Star State. Beyond the United States, assistant coach Chris Alstrup is Danish.
Admission is free to all ACU volleyball matches at Moody Coliseum. Both contests will be streamed on ESPN+, with Roman Raffaeli (play-by-play), Londyn Gray (analysis) and Allison McCall (sidelines) on the call for Thursday's matchup with the Lions.
At 13-7, the Wildcats are aiming for their historic 14th win of the season, marking their most in the Division I era and since 2011. ACU has been a force to be reckoned with at home this season, winning its last six matches at Moody Coliseum for a 7-2 record. A seventh home win in a row would mark the program's longest streak since 2018.
ACU looks to avenge a five-set loss to North Alabama in Florence, Ala. on Sept. 24 in the teams' conference opener. Alyssa Todd powered the Wildcats with a Division I freshman record-21 kills, the most since 2008. Two days later, ACU cruised to a sweep of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga.Â
The Wildcats spent last week on the road, picking up a sweep of Austin Peay before falling to conference frontrunner Eastern Kentucky in three sets. Rachel Koss was recognized as the UAC Setter of the Week, while Todd took home UAC Freshman of the Week honors for the second time this season.
Koss surpassed 2,000 career assists against the Governors and averaged 11.67 per set last week. She leads the conference and is 13th nationally with 768 assists this season. Todd led UAC freshmen with 3.33 kills per set last week. She ranks sixth in the UAC with 3.03 kills per set this season, the most by a freshman. Brennan Ramirez remains the conference leader and ranks seventh in the country with 5.09 digs per set.
HISTORICALLY HOT START – ACU has opened the 2026 campaign roaring out of the gates with its best start in nearly two decades. The Wildcats are 13-7, their hottest start since 2010 (17-3) and throughout the Division I era (since 2013). The Wildcats have tied for their most wins in a season in the DI era and could set a new record with a win versus UNA. ACU's 5-3 mark in conference play is its best opening since 2020-21. ACU went 8-3 in September and has won 12 of its last 16 matches.
MOODY MAGIC – The Wildcats have played some of their best volleyball at Moody Coliseum this season with a 7-2 record at home. They've already surpassed their total in home wins from last season. ACU has won its last six matches in Abilene, and a seventh straight victory would mark its most since 2018.
WELCOME TO ABILENE – The Wildcats have received early contributions from freshman Alyssa Todd. Todd has emerged as arguably the top freshman in the conference with 191 kills and a team-best 3.03 kills per set. She set ACU's DI single-match freshman kills record with 21 at North Alabama on Sept. 24. Todd became the fastest freshman in ACU's DI era to reach 100 career kills, doing so in just 10 matches. She was named the UAC Freshman of the Week on Sept. 8 on Oct. 19.
ACING IT – Senior libero Abby Christian has established herself as a force at the service over four seasons in Abilene. She is the Wildcats' DI leader in career aces with 112 across 105 matches. Christian surpassed ACU's DI record of 103 aces, established by Madeline Guffy from 2022-24. Guffy and Christian are the only DI Wildcats to surpass 100 aces. Christian is third in the DI record book with 0.28 aces per set.
WEEKLY HONORS – The Wildcats have been the recipients of seven UAC weekly accolades this season between four student-athletes. Hannah Gonzalez was named the Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 21, and Brennan Ramirez was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and 28. Alyssa Todd has twice received Freshman of the Week distinction on Sept. 8 and Oct. 19. Rachel Koss was named the Setter of the Week on Oct. 19. Ramirez and Koss were three-time WAC honorees last season.
STAYING THE COURSE – A rarity in today's world of college athletics, ACU's roster touts seven seniors, including five that have spent their entire four-year careers in Abilene. Gonzalez, Koss, Abby Christian, Izabelle Larson and Alexis Strong each arrived at ACU in 2023 alongside head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup. The group of five has combined to play in 386 matches and 1,246 sets entering the 2026 campaign. Also beginning her fourth season as head coach of the Wildcats, Moronu Alstrup described this year as a "senior season" of her own.  Additionally, Avery Thaler, Annaleise Sevier and Courtney Church are each in their third seasons at ACU.
FAMILY AFFAIR – Head coach Ijeoma Moronu Alstrup and assistant coach Chris Alstrup are one of six known Division I coaching duos that are married. The two met while Moronu Alstrup was playing professional volleyball in Alstrup's home country of Denmark. They have a daughter, Charlie, and a son, Jude. Other married coaching duos include Little Rock, Eastern Michigan, Montana State, Southern Utah and West Virginia. Other family ties on the Wildcats' roster include freshman OH/RS Garrah Prox and her sister, student manager Zoey Prox.
WILDCATS AROUND THE GLOBE – Much of ACU's team chemistry and camaraderie was built this summer on the program's international tour to Europe. From June 4-14, the Wildcats globetrotted across Sweden, Denmark and Germany, immersing themselves in local cultures while competing against overseas programs and taking part in volunteer work. ACU competed against Holte, one of the top programs in Denmark, the Danish National Team and the U17 German Regional National Team.Â
NATIONWIDE WILDCATS – Eight states are represented on ACU's 18-person roster (Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Missouri, Louisiana, Washington and Kentucky). Ten Wildcats hail from the Lone Star State. Beyond the United States, assistant coach Chris Alstrup is Danish.
Players Mentioned
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
RS
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's VolleyballTuesday, October 20
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Tuesday, October 13
Monday, October 12
